Take Fitness Outdoors and Get in Touch with Nature

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Camping is a great way to bond, get in touch with nature and score a decent workout too! There are a multitude of options and resources when it comes to camping and selecting the right campsite. Still not sure if camping is for you? Continue reading below to feel fully prepared and convinced that it’s worth the trip!

Health Benefits
Not sure if camping is for you? Consider some of the health benefits:Fresh airSocializationExerciseLess Stress

Outdoor Fitness Options
A few activities that are fun to do solo or with a group!

Hiking: Is an excellent option to work the lower body and burn some serious calories! When selecting a campsite, make sure hiking is an option, stick to opt trails that include hills for an additional challenge. You can expect to burn 430-440 calories per hour (for a 160lb person)

Kayaking: Love water? Looking to try something outside your workout norm? Kayaking is the perfect way to spend time in the water and work the upper body. Don’t be fooled according to LiveStrong.com you can burn more calories kayaking than cycling. You can burn anywhere between 283-454 calories per hour (depending on the weight of the participant).

Meditating: Get a little peace and quiet with a dose of fresh air! Whether it’s first thing in the morning or midday finding a calming space near your campsite for 30 mins will allow you to de-stress and score a few calming benefits. Click here for a beginner meditation routine!

Frisbee and other outdoor games: These options are loads of fun if you are traveling with children and/or a big group. Activities like swimming and outdoor volleyball can burn anywhere between 400-500 calories according to Today.com.

Healthy Eating Reboot:
Ideally opting for a Big Mac or fried chicken won’t be your first choice when it comes to eating outside in the midst of nature. It’s actually a fun way to test your cooking skills and experiment with fun recipes. Heide Agas got into camping when her husband took her on a few trips, now a mother of two she encourages her family to eat healthy with tasty grilling options. “ Grilling up leaner meats with lots of veggies is my go to when camping. Pinterest is always recommending “foil packets” loaded with protein (chicken breast/fish) with veggies and a little liquid to steam it over the grates of a fire pit.” says Agas. Heide goes on to say her water intake has increased with her now regular camping trips “Also staying hydrated with lots of water is key, we’ll freeze water bottles and they’ll help things stay cool in coolers and keep us hydrated at the same time.”

What to Pack:
Especially if you are new to camping you want to make sure you have everything you need for whatever activities you might have planned, below are few not so obvious options:

Flashlight: It gets pretty dark in the woods! The Atomic Beam Flashlight illuminates up to 5,000 LUX, the unit of measurement for brightness, which is about 40 times brighter than ordinary flashlights. This is great for camping especially if your campsite is bare-bones.

Ear Plugs: Veteran camper Amy Sumoski, mother of three says “The most essential item for me is ear plugs. I have been on too many trips with sleepless nights listening to the crickets – or noisy neighbors”.

Tweezers: This is great for pulling out pesky splinters not grooming your brows! It is very likely you will get a splinter from being in the woods either from gathering firewood or randomly from a tree. Stash a pair of tweezers in your emergency first aid kit. Need more options for packing your kit? Click here!

Sleeping Pads: To make the surface of your tent a bit more comfortable add a sleeping pad. There are many options and price points when it comes to selecting the right pad. If weight is an issue, you will want to opt for a lighter pad, this is highly recommended for those that plan on backpacking during their camping trip. For more insight on how to select the best sleeping pad visit Rei.com.